SouthField bill put off until at least Monday

WEYMOUTH – The future of the SouthField project will remain in limbo for at least a few more days.

An overhaul aimed at getting the redevelopment of the former South Weymouth Naval Air Station to finally take off failed to make it to a final procedural vote in the Senate on Thursday. The House gave the bill final approval Tuesday.

But Weymouth Town Council President Patrick O’Connor, who is also a staffer for state Sen. Robert Hedlund, R-Weymouth, said he is still expecting the bill to pass in the Senate’s next session Monday and go to the governor’s desk.

“I think Monday is the day we’re going to get this done,” he said.

The Senate passed no legislation during its session Thursday, which lasted just under two hours. O’Connor said technical issues held up the process of getting bills voted on, but that the delay was not related to opposition to the SouthField bill or any problems with the language.

The Legislature’s formal session ended in the early morning hours of Aug. 1, pushing the bill into informal session where any lawmaker can block legislation from passing.

The bill incorporates changes to the stalled project first proposed by its master developer, Starwood Land Ventures. The bill would slash authority from the project’s quasi-governmental overseer, South Shore Tri-Town Development Corp., and shift responsibility for providing public services to Weymouth, Rockland and Abington.

Each town would be able to collect property taxes on their section, and Starwood could move ahead with building housing while putting off commercial development.

Plans for SouthField include 2,855 homes and apartments and 900,000 to 2 million square feet of commercial space.

The first home construction began in 2011 and more than 500 people live there now. But the project has been stymied by delays and in-fighting, and the commercial development that was supposed to spur an economic revival in the three towns has failed to materialize.

The bill eventually won support from officials in Weymouth, Rockland and Abington, but it has also generated opposition from some residents.

Christian Schiavone may be reached at cschiavone@ledger.com or follow him on Twitter @CSchiavo_Ledger.